Carriers ordered to drop extra ticket policy for disabled, obese passengers
updated 9:16 p.m. ET, Thurs., Jan. 10, 2008http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22599803/

OTTAWA - Canada-based airlines have been ordered to offer disabled or clinically obese travelers accompanied by an attendant the ability to fly using one ticket, even if they take up two or more seats.

The Canadian Transportation Agency ruling Thursday gives Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet one year to bring in a "one-person, one-fare" policy.

The ruling applies to disabled people, including the severely obese, who require two seats to accommodate them. It also applies to disabled persons who need an attendant seated with them on flights.
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The Council of Canadians with Disabilities and two individuals lodged a formal complaint in 2002, arguing it is discriminatory for airlines to charge double fares.

The agency estimates the new policy will cost Air Canada about $6.93 million a year, and WestJet about $1.48 million a year. That amounts to about 77 Canadian cents a ticket for Air Canada and 44 Canadian cents for WestJet.

That is a fraction of the cost estimated by the airlines in their submissions to the agency.

The panel said the extra cost and operational constraints to the airlines would not constitute undue hardship. It said the current practice effectively limits travel opportunities for the disabled.

"It's not a personal preference (of the traveler)," said Jadrino Huot, a spokesman for the agency. "It's not a matter of discomfort. It's a matter of need."

The ruling does not specifically apply to charter carriers, but the agency hopes the adoption of common rules by the major airlines will be adopted across the industry.

Other transportation carriers, such as buses, trains and ferries, have had one-person, one-fare policies for years...


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Good.

Charging a fat person for two seats is degrading towards the person.  It should be one person one fare

Charging a fat person for two seats is degrading towards the person.  It should be one person one fare


Since I am not a Canadian I am unaware of the legal aspect as per Canadian law.

Now that said, it is easy for all of us to pontificate on how callous and villianous the Canadian airline industry is.  HOW DARE THEY charge somebody who takes up two seats the price of two seats?

One person takes up two seats.  That means the airline sells one less ticket.  They are in the business to make money, you see.  Maybe tired travellers should claim to be narcoleptic and need to lay down and sleep, this takling up three whole seats.  Heck, give 'em the extra 2 seats for free!  We don't want to be unfair.

Where do you draw the line?  No offense intended but obese people need more food to eat than the average person too.  Should we force McDonald's to give them two burgers for the price of one?  Should we force tailors to charge them the same amont for a custom-made extra-large cost as they would for an off-the-rack standard size?

Should auto compaies be forced to sell paraplegics cars with free automatic transmissions because their feet can't work a clutch?  I'm allergic to aspirin.  Why shouldn't the Tylenol company be forced to sell me their product at the same price as aspirin?  After all, I can't help it, not my fault.

If an airline by its own policy wants to do one-man, one-seat, that's great.  But to force them to lose money because of somebody ELSE's issue is wrong.

Since I am not a Canadian I am unaware of the legal aspect as per Canadian law.

Now that said, it is easy for all of us to pontificate on how callous and villianous the Canadian airline industry is.  HOW DARE THEY charge somebody who takes up two seats the price of two seats?


Just to confirm American Company do charge an amount, and or an extra seat for large people...most will give back the $ if the seat is empty or if they have 2 seats next to each other (ie flight not full)  but my thing, is how do they choose, how can they tell one person weighs more then the next-they don't make then stand on the scale, so why would one person be charged that another who weights 5 min less-or even carry's their weight differently have to pay...

For some reason I'm kinda torn on this - I can see the airlines charging for two seats if infact you need two seats. Weight is not the issue...

It's sort of the same if you need EMS: should it cost the same to save you from if it takes two paramedics to put you in an ambulance as, say, the man a few years ago who needed a wall removed from his home to get him medical attention? How many people does it take to transport a half-ton man? I'm all for accomodating everyone, but shouldn't there be some limits?

I suppose Canadian airlines will just raise their average rates by x% to cover this, so it doesn't really matter...

Ant